Temperature and volume control valve



Aug. 19,1952 w. c. T-RAUTMAN TEMPERATURE AND VOLUME CONTROL VALVE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 22, 1946 INVENTOR. Illa/221' Jraafmara BY W / RTTORN Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UjNflTfElD JSTATEZS .YPYATEVNT oFFic "TEMPERATURE AND VGLYJ'ME CGNTRO'L VALVE Walter C; Trautman, Los Angeles, Calif Application July 22, 1946, saw Nari-85,4 13

. 6 Claims. 7 V, This invention relate to temperature and vol- ,ume'control mechanism, and isparticularly well adapted for use in controllingthe flowand mix ing of hot andcold'wa-ter, whereby a desired temperature at the place of 'delivery'can be had, and, it has among its salient objects:

To provide a mechanism of the character referred .150 wherein .a single control member, handle or lever is operable for regulating or controlling both the temperature and the volume of liquid delivered for use; A

To provide [in such ,a mechanism means whereby a predetermined or preselected ratio between hot and cold; water may be had, thereby making-possible a desired blend or mixing thereof, and the temperature of which is automatically maintained irrespective .of change in the supply pressure ,of eitherhot or cold water;

i To provide in connection therewith means whereby a preselected volume flow/of the mixture will-continue irrespective of changes in the supply ,pressure oi either :hot or cold water;

To provide an improved mechanism of the character referred 'to which can'be embodiedin means .for controlling either the temperature control, or the volume control, with asimple, single handle or leverwith its operating connections, 7 v 1. am-aware thatmany attempts have been made tor-accom l sh the objects and purposes of thisainvention, :but in so doing thermostats of various have been employed, .orgas or liquid filled-bellows have been used, but none'oi these meth ds w l sa t yflfhis inventionaccomplishes the desired objects iin a simple, practical and mechanical way, and bylmeansofla single control handle the desired tempenatureof-the mixture can be had,'and also the desired volume of flow '"from the discharge nozzle or faucet, and nomatter if' change may takeplacedn thesupply pressure, the preselected temperature and volume will be maintained,

other objects and advantages-of the invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of one practical embodiment thereof,

and in which: Eigurel is; a vertical-sectional view through a -control mechanismembodying my invention;

Figure Zia-aside elevationor 'a-detail, removed; Figure ,3 is a sectional view taken on theline 3-4 of Fig. l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 ,oi 1;. and Figure. 5, is a sectional view telren through a detail of slightly modifiedform;

:2 .Figure fiiis :a front elevationof the mechanism as it appears on a wall. V 7

Referring .:.now in detail to the drawingsgthe invention as here shown .ror explanatory pur- 35 poses, is connected with lio-tland cold waterpipes, designated"! (land lli-l in a'oasti-ng or body l2, and from which alsoilsn discharge connection, designated l3.

The Joody I2 is formed with an oval shaped 10 flange lisand with :axcentral solidportionli, forming two chambers, as 16' and :1 l, at opposite sides "thereof, and below which are two valve chambers, as 18 and I9, threaded at their mouths, as at M and [9, :to receive,,.'two valveeholding :members .20 and :21, having two spring pressed --poppet *valves 22 .and 23 therein, seating acut- "wardly inthe valve seats 22' and 13", as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Thexspr'ingsare held in pla'ce bysinsetrings, as .24, 24,1 201 lfhe :hot :and cold water :pipe tcon'nections, I0 and iii [,corineet with said :chainbersxlB and I9, so that said valves 22 iandi23 normally icloseiflow intothetwocchambers IE and :l l abovethe valveholding members ZG and :21. When said valves 25 I22 and 23 are depressed, flow is permitted from said pipe connections l0 and l I, through-cham- "bers rlasand l9, 'and'through said-valve seats 22' and 23t into chambers 1-6 and. I1.

From :said chambers l6 and 1:7, respectively, are two orifices 2-5 and 26,1eading to the common discharge connection l3, as seen in Figs. 3 and :4.

Mounted overrsaid body and its oval shaped gfiange liandthe central portion [5 thereot' is 5 :a diaphragm .2'l,.-lampe1dinplace as seen in Fi'gs.

.;1 and 3, by a body member 28, having a flange zs'overiy'mg the flange 44, and secured in mace by the screw bolts 30, 30, and having thereori two open cylindrical members, as -3I, -32, dirctlybver the'valves 22 and '2 3, respectively.

Between ssidmembers '31 and 32 smaller cylindrical bore 33, .as sno" Operable in each of said members '3! andszlis a, pair'of telescoping plunger cups or members, as id-Hand 30- -31; withcoi-led springs,- as 38 and 39, therein and therehetween, to'normal-ly urge them apartwith-insaid membeifs Bl and 32, as will be understood from-the-showing iniFigB. Said pairs of members may be referred to transmitting members .for transmitting power to the valves, 22 and 23' through the diaphragm.- 2]. The tops or the upper cups ormemuers s4 and '36 are dome shape; while the bottoms of the cups 4 the chambers'lS and I1, and axially aligned with is formed "a as 4|, and extended above this portion as a stem 42, shown in Fig. 1 to be tapered on its end, as

Mounted on said actuating member 46, at the spherical portion 4| thereof, is'amember 43, and

having around its under outer edge a tapering flange portion, designated 44, tapering from one side of said member 43in both directions'to its I greatest depth as its opposite side, as will be understood from Fig. l, said-flange portionoperating upon the dome portions of the members 34 and 36, as indicated. This member 43 may be referred to as a selector member, and is operable to move said transmitting members together or difierentially, according to its rotational adjustment, for opening said valves equally or unequally, as the case may be.

On the top of said member 43, are two spaced lugs, as 45, between which operates a pin 46, inserted into the stem part 42 of the member 46, for turning said selector member 43 when said member 40 is turned.

.In Fig. 5,. a slightly modified construction is indicated, in which the selector member 43 is secured on a straight telescoping actuating member, designated 40' in this view, whereby to turn with said member. Y 5

In either form, it will be seen thatas said actuating member is depressed, said selector member is also depressed with it upon the domes of the transmitting members 34 and 36, according to the rotational-position of the flange portion thereof, whereby one dome member can be depressed more than .the other, according to the circumferential adjustment of said selector member. In Fig. 3, its position would indicate an equal depression of both dome members 34 and 36, and an equal depression or opening of the valves 22 and 23.

p.0perating n the upper, tapered stem end of said member 40, is a ball-like member 41, having a groove or channel cut therein, designated 41 and operatively receiving the tapered upper end of the stem 42, said member llhaving a bearing support at 48, in the top ofa'housing 49, which is securedaround its flanged bottom upon the flange 29, by bolts 50, 50, as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 3.

The bearing for said ball-like member 41, in the top of said housing 49 in the present showing, includes a friction ring held in place by a metal ring. 52. which is in turn held in place by rotate'the selector member 43, by the actuating member 40, or rockedto afiect the depression of the selector member 43 by the cam action on the tapered stem end of said actuating member 40. Rotation or depression of the selector member 43 can be simultaneously affected because of the independence of these two functions.

As a bath or shower control, said mechanism will be placed, in most cases so that the housing 49 will be extended through an opening 55 in a wall, or fioor structure, as 56, Fig. 1. As a finishing cover over said opening, a threaded metal ring, as 51, is shown screwed on to said housing 49-, as at 51, with its outer edge resting upon the wall structure 56. Thus only a single handle or operating member 54 is visible in the arrange- 'ment as here shown, with said finishing cover 51.

In Fig. 6, it is indicated how the operating lever and cover would appear on a wall.

The use and operation The use and operation of the mechanism described may be briefly stated as follows:

Assuming that the operating handle or lever 54 and the selector member 43 are in the positions indicated, and said handle 54 is depressed, both 'of the transmitting members 3435 and 36-31 will be depressed equally and will operate through the diaphragm 21 to open the valves 22 and 23 equally, allowing a mixture of hot and cold water to flow'through the inflow pipes l0 and H, into the chambers l6 and I1, and thencethrough' the orifices 25 and 26 and into the discharge outlet connection at l3, as seen in Fig. 4- and the other views, with the predetermined temperature.

If th handle 54 is turned soas to turn the selector member 43, to move the deeper part of the-flange 44 over one of said dome members, 34 or 36, and then if said handle is depressed, it will be evident that one or the other of said members 34 or 36 will be depressed more than the other,

'andconsequently its valve 22 or 23 will be correspondingly depressed and will let through more hot or cold water, as the case may be. Thus by turning the handle, or operating member 54, and then depressing it, the desired mixture of hot and cold water can be had through a single discharge.

As one of said valves, 22 or 23, is depressed in the 'manner indicated, and liquid is permitted to flow into the control chambers [6 or [1, or both, the back pressure developed in said control chambers acts on the transmitting members34-35 and 36-31, causing them to react against their coiled springs 38 and 39. These reaction forces will make the moving elements (poppet valves 22 and 23 and transmitting members 35---31) seek a force-balance such-that the force in the coiled springs will cause the-poppet valves to be opened sufficiently to allow that flow of liquid through theorifices 25 and 26-which will produce a backpressure in the "control'chambers just equal to the originally selected force in the coiled springs.

The pressure drop acrossthe orifices is a function of the flow through them and since the downstream side of the orifices is the common discharge connection -l3,'the upstream pressure of each orifice'is a direct measure of the flow in that circuit. 7 F I Thus it is the function of moving-*members 34-36, 35-31, 38-39 and 22'-23, to provide the required hot and cold water flows through orifices 25 and 26 that will produce the desired temperature ofblended water at l3 by controlling the upstream pressure of the orifices in the control chambers lfi and I1. i 7

Should the water pressure in'either-i nlet H1 or II increase or decrease, due to normal pressure fluctuations occasioned by the opening or closing open, respectively, to decrease, .-or increase the pressurein the control chambers lfi and-,ll'back zto that vz alue originally selected.

also, inthe event of a complete failure' of water pressure at either inlet port :the fluidreaction against the coiled-spring in that particular chamwill ,drop to zero, allowing the spring to expand-and d-rop its load. Since-this also means ca decrease in outward reaction against the selector member- 43 at its periphery, it follows that the still remaining--reaction-against 43 from the othercchamber will cause'theselector member 43 :torochas. a .beam onth vspherical element 4|,

thereby decreasing the loading and flow of the other chamber.

The proportions of spring-rates, valve-lifts," etc. can be so arranged to affect a complete shut off during this condition, thus preventing the possibility of scalding during the event of a cold water failure.

It will be understood, therefore, that the selection of the mixed water temperature is accomplished by rotating the handle or operating lever 54, and thus rotating the selector member 43. This determines the ratio of the compression of the coiled springs, and also the ratio of the pressure which it is desired to be maintained in the control chambers.

The volume of flow selection is made by subsequently moving the control handle downwardly, causing a further, but equal compression of the coiled springs 38 and :39. Thus the ratio of the spacing of each poppet valve with respect to its seat, in the flowing condition, is controlled by rotary movement of the selector member, and the specific distance of each valve from its seat is controlled by the downward movement of said selector member. When the handle 54 is returned to its normal position, the valves will be closed, shutting off the hot and cold water supply.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction and arrangement here shown for illustrating one embodiment thereof, realizing that many changes therein can be made, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims forming a part of this application.

I claim:

1. A mixing and volume control mechanism for different fluids including a body having separate inlet connections therefor and a discharge connection for the mixed fluids, said body having a control chamber for each of said inlet connections, a flexible wall for each of said control chambers with an orifice connection from each control chamber to said discharge connection, a valve interposed in said body between each inlet connection and its control chamber, each valve having a part extending into its control chamber, and manually operable mechanism including a handle, means between said handle and said valves for yieldingly engaging the parts thereof in said control chamber, said means being adjustable whereby to select and control the pressure in said control chambers and thereby select and control the maximum volume of flow passing through said orifices.

2. A mixing and volume control mechanism for different fluids including a body having separate inlet connections therefor, and a discharge connection for the mixed fluid, said body having a control chamber formed therein for each inlet connection, a flexible wall for each of said control chambers, an orifice connection from each control chamber-to said: discharge connection, a

yalve interposed in said-body betweeneach inlet connection and its control chamber, I each :vail-ve having a part extended into its control chamber and bearingcnsaid flexible wall, and manually operable mechanism including -a handle, for en'- gaging the part of each of said valves in-saidcon- "trol-chamberthrough'said flexible wall, a selector member--adjustable todifferentially and-equally close the distance between said mechanism-and "said walve parts, 'and a yieldable transmission -'member between they-part of each valve in the oontr'olchamber and said selector-member trol chamber tossaid discharge connection, azvalve seat and valve between each controhchamber and its inlet connection normally closing communication from the inlet connection to its control chamber, an operating handle, a selector member adjustable by said handle, and a yieldable force transmitting wall member between said selector member and each of said valves, said selector member being adjustable to vary the length of said force transmission members.

4. In a mixing and volume control mechanism for fluids, a body having two separate inlet connections for fluids and a connection for the discharge of the-mixture thereof, said body having two control chambers formed, respectively, between the inlet connections and the discharge connection with communicating orifices from said control chambers to said discharge connection,

two valves between said inlet connections and said control chambers, normally closing communication from said inlet connection to said control chambers, a flexible diaphragm forming a wall for each of said control chambers and against which said valves bear within said control chambers, spring-loaded valve operating means contiguous to said diaphragm and said valves with one end thereof responsive to control chamber pressures, means for differentially and equally loading said valve operating means, whereby to control the pressures in said control chambers and thereby control the maximum volume of flow passing through said orifices.

5. In a mixing and volume control mechanism for fluid, a body having two separate inlet connections for fluids and a connection for the discharge of the mixture thereof, saidbody having two control chambers formed, respectively, between the inlet connections and the discharge connection with communicating restriction oriflces from said control chambers to said discharge connection, two valves between said inlet connections and said control chambers, normally closing communication from said inlet connection to said control chambers, a flexible Wall for each of said control chambers, yieldable valve operating means with one end thereof disposed Within the control chamber, means for difierentially and equally compressing said valve operating means, whereby to select and control the pressures in said control chamber and thereby select and control the maximum volume of flow passing through said orifices.

6. In a mixing and volume control mechanism for fluids, a body having two separate inlet connections for fluids and a connection for the dis charge of the mixture thereof, said body having two control chambers therein, respectively, between the inlet connections and the discharge 7 connection withfluid-resistance connections between ,said control chambers and said discharge connection, afiexible wall for each of said control-chambers, two valves between said inlet con- ;nections and said control chambers, normally closing communication from said inlet connection to said controlchambers, each valve haying a part extended into its control chamber, and manuallypperable mechanism including a handle,-

mean between said handle and said valves for yieldingly engaging the parts thereof in said control chamber, said means being adjustable to select; any desired ratio of fluids through said valves, 7 I

- WALTER C. TRAUTMAN.

REFERENCES QITED,

-- following references are'of record in the fileofthis patent: 1 V

8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 

